


Klaine Advent 2017

by darriness



Category: Glee
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 21:50:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 12,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13280562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darriness/pseuds/darriness
Summary: All 24 of my Klaine Advent stories for 2017. They are all in the same verse (which carries over into my Fic A Day piece). The title of each chapter is the word used for that day.





	1. Attachment

Kurt’s at work and to tell the truth? He’s bored as fuck. Don’t tell his boss that though. Amanda doesn’t like when people are bored so she’ll probably give him some stupid project that doesn’t really mean anything and he needs that less than being bored right now. 

It’s his own fault he’s bored anyway. He was too efficient at getting everything done and now his December projections are already sent off for final approval (10 days early thank you very much), his swatch board is organized for the next day’s meeting and he thinks if he makes one more phone call to Milan they will actually fire him.

So he’s playing on his computer. He’s in the middle of a very important game of Solitaire when his email pings with a new message. He considers letting it go until he’s done the most epic game of his life but if it’s work related then the mind-numbing boredom will stop.

He clicks over to email and while the email isn’t from work, it does make him smile when he see ‘bwarbler@gmail.com' in the sender line. He misses randomly texting Blaine all day when his boyfriend is in rehearsal and can’t have his phone on him (like today). Blaine must be on lunch though so he clicks open the email, expecting a stupid meme or something to make him laugh.

Instead it’s just Blaine’s email signature ‘Blaine Warbler Esq.’ (because his boyfriend is seriously the dorkiest human) and an attachment. He curiously clicks open the attachment, ready to be very angry if this is some sort of email virus, but it’s just a word document that pops open on his computer.

I miss you.

That’s all it says but it still makes a soft smile spread on Kurt’s face.

***

Yesterday Kurt was bored. Today? He wishes he could have five minutes to sit down. Why can’t days ever be just a happy medium?His world is always rush rush rush or 150 games of Solitaire.

He’s packing up his things lightening fast from one meeting so he can make his way to another conference room to another meeting across the building when his phone pings with a new email message. He rearranges the things in his hands to reach his phone and notices the new email is from Blaine. 

He thumbs it open as he speed walks towards the other conference room (almost hitting Nancy and her cup of coffee. He at least makes sure to say ‘sorry’) and the email is once again just an attachment. He clicks it open to find;

Breathe. You got this. Nothing you can’t handle.

And the fact that Blaine just KNOWS has Kurt stopping, his hand pressed against the door he needs to be through 10 minutes ago, and giving a goofy, too wide for work (seriously Nancy probably thinks he’s gone crazy if she’s still looking at him), smile at his phone.

***

The emails with simple attachments continue all week (even on the weekend). He tries asking Blaine about them at night but Blaine just shrugs, kisses him gentle and wanders off to the music room to practice. So far the other attachments he’s gotten have been;

I can’t wait to see you tonight.

I want to lick every inch of your body. (He’d read that one under the table at a meeting and oh god that was awkward.)

Have I mentioned you’re now the single most interesting man in all of New York? (He has mentioned that. Kurt doesn’t believe him as much as he did back in high school. Ohio and New York have very different ‘interesting’ scales)

And yesterday’s attachment had simply been;

I love you.

Kurt is once again bored at work. He had been texting with Blaine earlier (it’s Monday, Blaine’s one day off) but he has since stopped responding. Kurt thinks he’s probably at the gym and lets it go.

He hasn’t gotten an email from Blaine today yet and as the clock reads 4:30 p.m. he’s not sure he’s going to. He usually packs up and leaves work around 4:45 p.m. and most of Blaine’s emails had come around noon. He’s not sure why he’s a little sad about that. They’ve only been happening a week and it’s not like he requires Blaine to send him cute little emails. He’d just…really liked them.

He’s just finishing up a game of Minesweeper (he likes to mix it up sometimes from Solitaire) when his email pings. He does a giddy little bounce in his seat even though he knows it’s probably not from Blaine and most likely Teresa asking a question that could probably wait until tomorrow.

But it is in fact ‘bwarbler’ who has sent him this email and he claps in a subduedly excited way (he’s still at work after all) before opening it and clicking straight to the attachment. Once he reads today’s attachment though he feels many emotions rolled up into one split second;

Will you marry me?

At first he can’t breath. Then his heart starts to pound. Then he feels this bubble of excitement that is threatening to burst and consume him. Then he’s confused (is this just Blaine being silly?). And then he’s angry because not only is that not an overly funny joke after almost 8 years of dating but if it ISN’T a joke then really Blaine? Over EMAIL?!

He’s so busy feeling all of his emotions that he misses a throat clearing from his doorway the first time it happens. It takes the person doing it again for him to look up from his computer.

And there, smiling sweetly from one knee with a ring box held open in his hand, is Blaine.

“So?” He says with a hesitant smile. 

Kurt stares dumbly at him for a few moments before everything seems to come to life again and he gets up and walks towards him.

“Yes.” He says simply, breaking out into a wide smile.

Blaine’s smile matches his as he gets up to slide the ring onto Kurt’s finger and kiss him. It’s too big of a kiss for work but Kurt just got fucking engaged so who cares?

They pull apart but only by the lips, both unwilling to separate their bodies just yet.

“Did you see my new signature?” Blaine asks nodding towards Kurt’s computer.

Kurt gives a confused shake of his head before making his way over and looking more closely at the email. 

Blaine Warbler Hummel? Esq.

is what greets him and he smiles down at it before simply hitting the backspace to get rid of the question mark.

…And maybe he also backspaces the Esq. which makes Blaine laugh.


	2. Bucket

“Papa!” Lizzy comes running into Kurt’s office and he glances up from his drafting table to meet her frantically concerned gaze. He should probably be more worried right off the bat at the look in her eyes but he knows his daughter, knows how dramatic she can be (thanks to her Aunt Rachel) and knows how expressive her eyes are (thanks to her Papa).

“What’s up, Sweetie?” He asks.

The four year old pushes her dark curls off her forehead and says, “You need to come help Daddy!”

“And what’s wrong with Daddy?” He asks patiently, hoping his calm with calm her down.

“Just come!” She bellows before running out of the room again. Kurt pauses at his drafting table with an expectant look and not three seconds later her head pops around the corner, “Please!” She adds and not that he was overly concerned before but it just proves there’s nothing really wrong if she can remember her manners.

Kurt sets down his pencil and follows the footfalls of his daughter through the house to the kitchen where he had left Blaine feeding their 7 month old son earlier.

His back is to Kurt and Lizzy runs over to him to tug on his sleeve, “I brought Papa!” She says.

Kurt’s fairly certain Blaine mumbles ‘I wish you hadn’t’ but Kurt is too busy falling against the counter with hysterical laughter to really hear. Lizzy almost seems affronted by her Papa’s lack of concern for her Daddy’s current situation.

Kurt’s laughter calms to a slight chuckle and he makes his way to see his husband’s face, which just so happens to be beet red, “Trouble, honey?” He asks sweetly, trying to mask more laughs as he runs a soft hand over Matty’s soft blonde hair as he sits gurgling happily in his bumbo chair.

Blaine glares and then says, “I begged her not to go and get you.”

Kurt chuckles and then puts a hand on top of Lizzy’s curls as she climbs onto a chair at the table, “But you forget, honey, that our sweet Lizzy is always out to help people. Just like her Daddy.”

Blaine rolls his eyes but has to concede that it’s true, “So are you going to help me?”

“Are you going to tell me what happened first?” Kurt throws back with a raised eyebrow.

Blaine sighs, “Lizzy did it to Matty and we thought it was cute so we took pictures. And then she asked me to do it and I thought ‘Why not?’” He shrugs helplessly.

“I think you got your answer to why not.” Kurt surmises.

“Yeah yeah. So…a little help?” Blaine asks again.

So Kurt spends 10 minutes attempting to remove Lizzy’s Charlie Brown Halloween candy bucket from it’s stuck position overturned on his husband’s head…after first taking copious amounts of pictures of course.


	3. Collapse

One thing Kurt and Blaine have always been good at is picking each other up when they’re down. In high school, whether it was big brothers, exams, health scares, feuding friends or wardrobe malfunctions they always knew what to do to make the other feel better.

They are just as good at this now as adults. They still have all the challenges of high school (minus the exams) but now it’s also work deadlines, money, and living with another person challenges. 

Life since moving to New York has been generally kind to the couple but they both have times of the year where stress can literally make them collapse into useless heaps of human shaped blobs. 

Kurt’s is most definitely fashion week. Blaine has become an expert at knowing what to do for Kurt leading up to and during the February and September week. It includes a lot of wine, cheesecake, foot rubs, reminders to sleep, and generally staying out of the way.

Blaine’s is tech week for a new show which leads (not at all seamlessly no matter how well things are going) into opening week. It doesn’t happen as often as Kurt’s but when it does, it takes Blaine down and he becomes not at all like the sweet, bouncy, sunshine infused boy Kurt fell in love with. Kurt is his own Blaine expert though and spends the weeks queuing Disney movies for when Blaine gets home, running baths, and making himself available for whenever Blaine needs to vent.

They make it work because they love each other and are perfect for each other. Every once in a while however, the world conspires against them and their most stressful times align. They knew it was going to happen this time when Blaine had been offered the part of Christian in Moulin Rouge (how could he not say yes?) that opens in the middle of September. Yet when Blaine comes home one evening (it’s 2 a.m. but he’s counting it as evening because fuck it) at the beginning of September exhausted, frustrated and wanting nothing more than to cry, to find Kurt blankly staring at the dark expanse of their television with red rimmed eyes from crying with a half eaten cheesecake next to him, he’s surprised.

Kurt doesn’t even look up as Blaine slides his jacket and shoes off and trudges into the living room. Blaine could keep walking, go into the bedroom, fall on the bed and sleep until he has to be up in 4 hours but instead he falls onto the couch on the other side of the cheesecake and lies his head back.

They’re silent for a few minutes, both wondering how they didn’t see this coming. They don’t necessarily take each other for granted but they both had just assumed the other would be there to help because they always are.

Blaine sees movement out of the corner of his eye and he lifts his head to see Kurt reaching for the fork in the cake. His husband scoops some of the cake onto the fork and Blaine assumes he’s going to eat it himself. Instead he turns the fork around and offers the bite to Blaine. Blaine feels his lips twitch into a small smile (he’s too tired to actually smile) and leans over to accept the bite.

He then shifts tiredly on the couch, picking up the cake and holding it aloft so he can pull Kurt’s legs over his lap and then sets the cake on Kurt’s lap. He sees the corner of Kurt’s mouth lift into a semblance of a smile and slowly runs a hand down the back of Kurt’s head to rest at his neck.

They still don’t say anything, but Blaine does grab the remote, turns on Netflix and hits play on Mulan. Kurt grabs Blaine’s hand and the fork and they spend the next half hour sharing bites of the cake and watching the movie before they both fall asleep, leaning back against the couch.

They may be great at taking care of each other when one is down, but it takes something special to take care of each other when they are both ready to collapse.


	4. Drink

“Blaine, come on.” Kurt tries as he follows behind his boyfriend. Blaine just keeps walking, or rather stalking, away from him. Kurt’s been trying to get him to talk to him for 5 minutes. Blaine’s running out of room to walk away.

“Blaine, come on, you’re being ridiculous.” Kurt tries again and apparently that was either the right or wrong thing to say because it makes Blaine stop walking and whirl around to face Kurt. It’s both the abrupt halt and the look on Blaine’s face that makes Kurt pull up short.

“I’M being ridiculous?” Blaine challenges, “I think it’s YOU that’s being ridiculous.”

“Blaine,” Kurt says trying to remain calm, because Blaine really IS being ridiculous, he just doesn’t see it and Kurt is running out patience, “it’s okay. Just….relax.”

“How could you Kurt? This is tantamount to…to…I can’t even think of what this is tantamount to! I feel betrayed.” Kurt takes a deep breath and thinks of what he can say to help the situation.

“Let me get this straight, you feel betrayed…because I don’t like Butterbeer.”

Kurt knows he shouldn’t. Knows he REALLY shouldn’t but he can’t help but laugh as Blaine brandishes the wand in his hand instead of responding. Kurt suddenly finds the whole situation hilarious. They’re having a fight wearing Hufflepuff and Slytherin robes, standing in the middle of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. 

He wasn’t aware how much this place would actually turn Blaine into an 11 year old instead of the rational 20 year old he usually is. The way his boyfriend is pouting with his arms crossed as Kurt laughs just proves his point.

“And now you’re laughing at me.” Blaine mumbles.

Kurt clucks his tongue and mimics Blaine’s pout before sidling up closer to him and taking him into his arms. Blaine is stiff in his arms but doesn’t push him away, “I’m sorry, baby. But just think, my not liking Butterbeer means all the more for you. I’ll keep trying to like it but if I don’t, you can always finish my glass.”

Blaine holds his pout for a few more seconds as he contemplates Kurt’s word. Then he melt against his boyfriend with a sigh, “I guess you’re right.” He concedes and Kurt kisses his forehead.

“Wanna go on the Hogwarts ride again?” Kurt suggests, nodding towards the castle.

Blaine looks over in the castle’s direction and smiles, “Race you!” He says before taking off amongst the crowd. Kurt laughs before following him.


	5. Example

Lizzy Anderson-Hummel is one awesome kid. Not to toot her own horn (she giggles every time she says/thinks that phrase because she’s 6 and every 6 year old laughs at tooting unless you’re Papa, Lizzy’s pretty sure Papa has never giggled at the word toot) but she has life figured out. Well, almost figured out.

She’s not entirely sure why Daddy and Papa keep telling her she needs to act appropriately because she’s ‘an example’ for her little brother. She doesn’t know what that means. She also doesn’t know why Daddy or Papa give her ‘the look’ every time she giggles at the word ‘toot’, blows bubbles in her milk, or runs in the house just to name a few.

She knows that her teacher uses examples all the time at school. Like yesterday when they were learning about shapes and her teacher said that a triangle was an example of a shape but…Lizzy’s not a triangle. So why do Daddy and Papa always call her an example?

She decides she’s going to find out. She can hear Daddy practicing in the music room for his show so she goes to find her Papa who is changing Matty in his bedroom, “Papa.” Lizzy says seriously opening her brother’s door.

“Yes sweetie?” Papa says standing Matty up to pull his pants up. He pats him on the bum before picking him up and smiling down at Lizzy.

“I need to talk to you and Daddy.” She says and Papa’s eyebrows scrunch like they do when he’s confused.

“Okayyyy. This sounds important.” He says, leading her out of the room by her shoulder.

“It is.” She says as they make their way downstairs to the music room.

“Lizzy doing?” Matty asks from Papa’s arms. That’s Matty’s favourite question.

“Talking to Daddy and Papa.” Lizzy explains.

“Oh…okay.” Matty says as they enter the music room to find Daddy bent over his piano and pretty music playing.

Papa puts Matty on the ground and he immediately goes over to the toys in the corner.

Daddy looks up and smiles when he sees them but Lizzy isn’t going to be sidetracked by his always bright smile that almost never fails to make her smile. She has serious business.

“Our daughter wants to talk to us.” Papa explains sitting on the bench next to Daddy.

“Oh?” Daddy asks before they both give her their attention.

Lizzy takes a deep breath, “What do you mean when you say I’m an example for Matty and can’t blow bubbles in my milk?”

Daddy and Papa give a little laugh, then both smile softly and Papa reaching forward to bring her to him, “Is that what you’re so serious about?” Lizzy nods, “Oh we’re sorry that you didn’t know what we meant, baby.” Daddy says.

“What we mean when we say that, Lizzy, is that Matty looks up to you. He wants to be just like you and do everything that you do. So sometimes, when you don’t make the best choices, Matty sees that and he might think it’s okay to make those not great choices himself.” Papa explains, “Does that make more sense?”

It does actually. But she still has one concern, “But I didn’t ask to be Matty’s example. That’s not fair.”

Daddy nods, “Your Uncle Cooper said the exact same thing when Grandma and Grandpa told him he was my example when we were younger but you know what he said to me when we were both adults?” Lizzy shook her head, “That it made him feel so cool to have me look up to him and want to do the same things as him and so even though he didn’t ask to be my example, it made him feel almost like…a superhero.”

Lizzy loves superheroes. Is it possible she could be a superhero to Matty?

She looks over at her little brother as the two year old plays with his trucks and thinks she could sure try.

“I can be Matty’s superhero.” She whispers and Daddy and Papa smile.

“I think you already are, love.” Daddy says, leaning over to kiss her head.


	6. Fraction

“Remind me again why you always look like you’re going to vomit when we have our families over?” Kurt asks as he stands at the bedside table putting on his cufflinks.

“Because vomiting is a very real possibility.” Blaine mumbles from where he stands tying and retying his bowtie at their bedroom mirror.

Kurt finishes clipping his last cufflink before making his way over to Blaine, standing behind him to tie his tie for him. Blaine’s arms slump uselessly to his sides, “You know, all that drama was years ago. I think everyone’s over it now.” Kurt says, though if he’s honest he doesn’t REALLY believe that and nor does Blaine if his scoff is anything to go by.

“Kurt, I don’t think your dad will ever forgive my mom for the way she was around the wedding. He’s basically said as much.” Blaine says as Kurt finishes tying his bowtie with a kiss to the back of the head.

Kurt sighs, “That’s because my father is an old curmudgeon.” He jokes.

Blaine rolls his eyes, “We both know that’s not the reason. And let’s not forget how much Carole and Finn dislike my brother.”

“Sweetie, Carole doesn’t dislike anyone and Finn just doesn’t understand Cooper the same way he doesn’t understand eating with his mouth closed.” It’s Kurt's turn to roll his eyes as he sits on the bed. He has a feeling Blaine is going to need to talk this out, like he does every time they have their families over.

“Kurt, Carole literally GLARES at my brother. If that’s not dislike I don’t know what is.” Blaine corrects, “And that just goes to show you,” Blaine says getting fired up now and pacing the bedroom, “how annoying my brother is. To get Carole Hudson-Hummel to dislike you is no small order.”

Kurt hums and nods like he always does when he’s placating his husband, “And don’t even get me started on my father!” Blaine exclaims and Kurt knows that’s when he needs to step in.

“Okay okay okay.” He says calmly, catching Blaine’s hands as he paces in front of him. He pulls his husband to sit down beside him on the bed before he puts a hand to his cheek, “I know there has been tension, but those tensions are not for you to solve. You have done nothing to warrant this feeling you get whenever the families get together. Everyone has gotten really good at…tolerating each other. Nothing mean has been said in years.”

Blaine sighs, “I know but that doesn’t stop me from getting emotional hives every time we get together. We’re supposed to be a family. A whole. And yet, I feel like we’ve broken down. Like…fractions.”

“All families have their issues, love. It’s unavoidable. Families are like…improper fractions sometimes.” Kurt tries, keeping with Blaine’s metaphor to hopefully get him to smile. It works. A small smile spreads on Blaine’s face as he looks down at where their hands are entangled. 

“Yeah I guess you’re right.” He says softly.

“And no matter what, you and I will always be two halves of a whole.” Kurt means for it to be romantic, and it is but it also makes Blaine laugh.

“Okay I think we’ve overused the fraction metaphor.” He says, “All right. Let’s get this night over with and maybe there can be fun with “wholes” later tonight.”

Kurt smacks him upside the head as they both laugh.


	7. Genuine

“Kurt…my love…you have made my life happier and brighter than I ever thought it could be. When you stopped me on those stairs all those years ago I didn’t know what hit me. I think, no I know, I started to fall for you in that moment. It just took me a little longer to actual realize what was happening but we both know how oblivious I can be. 

“You are by the far the sassiest, fiercest, most loving, and most beautiful man I will ever know but above all else you are the most genuine person I’ve ever had the pleasure of having in my life. There is no ‘fake’ when it comes to you and I love you for that. Even when we met, you were too genuine to even pull off the lie of being a new student. Please never lose that quality.

“I vow to love you, protect you, honour you, and be your best friend until the day we die. Not to sound too corny but you literally were and remain my teenage dream. I love you so much and I can’t even stand the few minutes it’s going to take to finish this so I can officially call you my husband.”


	8. Health

“There’s…stuff floating in it.” Blaine squints and grimaces as he gets eye level with the concoction sitting in front of him.

“You are not backing out, Blaine Anderson, this was your idea.” Kurt hisses as he sits with his arms crossed, sending judgemental looks at the glass in front of him.

Blaine puts his forehead on the table with a sigh, “I was trying to be a supportive friend.” He says to his feet.

Kurt sighs himself and tears his eyes away from the glass to rub a hand up and down Blaine’s back, “I know you were, sweetie.” He says softly, “But maybe next time your support could come in the form of encouraging words.”

Blaine’s back shakes as he laughs, “Hey dudes! What do you think?” Blaine sits up quickly at Sam’s words and looks up at his best friend who has a large grin on his face and is rubbing his hands together expectantly, “So…?” He says into their silence.

“We haven’t tried it yet.” Kurt says, “We’re trying to come up with the best way to describe it’s… look first.” He gestures towards the glass in front of him and tries not to grimace. 

Sam looks confused, “Describe it’s look? We can’t put a description of what it LOOKS like on the box. People can see what it looks like. We need taste testimonies! Come on! Drink up and say the first thing that comes to mind! This drink is going to be the next big health craze!” He gives them a thumbs up with a smile before making his way over to some of his other friends who also have his drink in front of them.

“Who taught him the word ‘testimonies’?” Kurt mumbles and Blaine clicks his tongue disapprovingly, “All right, all right.” Kurt says with a clap, “We are going to do this because we are good friends and then we are going to go home and you are going to make this up to me with blowjobs. Plural.”

Blaine shakes himself to rally while he stares down at Sam’s attempt to start his own business, “If I’m not vomiting then you’re on.”

Both men pick up their drink and take a collective deep breath, “We can do this.” Blaine says.

“We sort of have to do this if we want to stay friends with Sam.” Kurt reasons.

“On three. One. Two. Three.” They close their eyes and sip the green drink, both trying instantly not to throw it back up, “No friendship is worth that.” Blaine says putting the glass down, crossing his arms, and staring at the drink like it’s personally offended him.

Kurt is about to respond when Sam bounds back over, “So…?” He asks again.

Kurt and Blaine are quiet for a moment, both trying to figure out what best to say. Neither wants to lie but they also don’t want to tell the truth, “It will…” Blaine starts and then looks at Kurt for support but Kurt isn’t forthcoming, “It will…take your breath away.” Blaine finishes and Kurt hums and nods.

Sam looks at both of them with a slightly concerned look on his face and for a moment they both think he’s going to discover their true feelings. But then, he breaks into a smile and slaps them both on their shoulder, “You guys are the best friends ever!” And with that he ambles over to get testimonies from more friends.

Kurt puts an arm around Blaine, who slumps into his side, and Kurt says, “Tasting that was worth at least 3 blowjobs.”


	9. Inch

“I almost lost it.” Blaine explains as he pulls back the duvet on their bed.

Kurt looks over at his husband from the other side of the bed, “I doubt very much you were going to lose it.”

Blaine rearranges his pillows before sitting down and pulling the duvet over his legs, “And what bothered me more was that I SHOULDN’T have almost lost it. She’s eight. I can out logic, out smart, and out reason her in every situation but…”

“But you let her get your goat.” Kurt finishes for him as he gets in bed next to his husband, checking his phone to make sure his alarm is on.

“Yeah.” Blaine sighs dejectedly as he turns off his light and slides down to lie on his side facing Kurt who mirrors his position.

“You know why though.” Kurt says like it’s obvious. Blaine shakes his head though, “It’s the age old phrase “Give them an inch and they’ll take a mile”. If you let her get away with stuff like eating a cookie before dinner, or not brushing her teeth before she goes to bed, she’s going to start to assume she can get away with a lot of stuff. And that includes not wearing her coat when it’s 20 degrees and snowing.” 

Blaine is immediately hurt by Kurt’s words and Kurt can see that written all over Blaine’s face, “I come to you in frustration and we’re seriously going to have a fight about parenting styles?” He’s defensive right away.

Kurt lays a hand on Blaine’s shoulder and slowly runs his hand up and down his arm, “No, we aren’t going to fight about parenting styles. I didn’t mean that to be an attack on how you parent at all. You are an amazing father. All I’m saying is that Lizzy is getting older now and realizing more and more how things work. She’s very smart though and I think all it will take is a conversation with her. Remind her that what Daddy and Papa say is final, whether that be letting her stay up later than her bedtime once in a while or putting her coat on when it’s cold out.”  
“You’re right. Sorry I got defensive.” Blaine sighs.

Kurt leans across the space between them and kisses his husband softly, “You have nothing to be sorry for. Besides, no doubt it’ll be you reminding me tomorrow how awesome a father I am despite yelling at the kids to pick up their toys or something.”

“Parenting is hard.” Blaine laughs.

“Hard? But worth it.” Kurt reasons.

“Totally.” Blaine smiles.


	10. Judgement

Blaine falls back onto the bed with a bounce and Kurt is on him in an instant, “Do you object?” Kurt asks from his straddled position over Blaine’s hips, eyebrow raised teasingly.

Blaine shakes his head without hesitation, “No your honour, I submit to your judgement.” He says with a smirk.

Kurt slides his hands down Blaine’s arm, grabs Blaine’s hands and pulls his arms over his head to pin his wrists to the bed, “Damn fucking right you do.” He mumbles before pressing a dirty kiss to Blaine’s lips.


	11. Key

“Kurt?” Blaine calls, trying to shift his position to find one more comfortable but giving up when it proves futile.

Kurt doesn’t answer him but Blaine can hear his husband rummaging somewhere near the kitchen, “Kurt?” He calls louder.

“I’m still looking!” Kurt shrieks and Blaine slumps. He huffs out a dejected breath and looks around the room with his eyes. What’s he supposed to do? It’s not like he can go anywhere.

He sits silently for another few minutes hearing Kurt grumble as he makes his way through the apartment. Five minutes after his last call he tries again. He can hear Kurt closer to the door anyway, “Kurt?”

The door to their bedroom swings open and Kurt stands there in nothing but his boxers, an annoyed expression on his face, “Blaine, what is it? I’m looking as fast as I can.”

Blaine’s eyes widen like that of a startled deer, “I was just…wondering if you could pass me some pants, or a blanket?”

Kurt’s annoyed expression dissolves immediately in to one of shock, “Oh my god Blaine I’m so sorry!” And it’s like he just realized he had left his husband handcuffed naked to their headboard to search the house for their handcuff key that he misplaced. Which is in fact exactly what happened. Kurt quickly grabs the blanket they hang over their chair and sets it gentle around Blaine’s legs and hips before lying down next to him and laying a hand on his chest, “I did it again didn’t I?”

Blaine shrugs as much as he can with his arms above him, “Kinda.”

Kurt sighs, “I’m so sorry. I am the worst. Here you are, the one actually handcuffed and unable to get out and I’M the one who is mad. I’m just mad at myself for losing the keys. Not at you.”

Blaine nods, “I know. You wouldn’t be my Kurt if you weren’t my diva.”

Kurt places a soft kiss to Blaine’s lips, “Okay, let me go find these keys and we can enjoy whatever afterglow is left.” He says, pushing off the bed.

“Or create new afterglow.” Blaine suggests, making Kurt flush hot, “Though maybe this time we do it without the handcuffs?” Kurt rolls his eyes with a laugh before continuing his search.


	12. Limited

“Who decided THIS was the way to play this game?” Kurt asks as he helps himself to more cheese and crackers before settling back on the couch next to Blaine.

“Oh come on Kurt. Everyone in this room knows that everyone in this room needs more a challenge than getting our significant other to name Broadway shows.” Rachel huffs coming back into the living room with a glass of wine.

“We could always play a different game?” Blaine says optimistically.

“I’ve tried suggesting that, Blaine. It doesn’t work.” Jesse offers.

“Heads Up is the only game we can all agree on and all the other categories are dumb. Except maybe Hey Mr. DJ but we all know Blaine and his insufferable knowledge of top 40 would murder us.” Rachel explains.

“Watch yourself, Berry.” Kurt comes to his husband’s defence before Blaine can comment.

“Sorry Blaine.” Rachel concedes, “Okay, Jesse and I are first! And remember,” She says putting her phone to her head, “You can’t sing, name a character, a plot line, or a song title.”

Jesse nods as “Cats” comes up on the phone, “Oh! Ummmmm not dogs but…”

“Cats.” Rachel says and flips the phone down, revealing “Stephen Sondheim”.

“Uhhhh, okay, I can’t name shows…”

“Come on Jesse!” Rachel urges.

“I’m thinking! Okay…the people are in the pies!” He blurts.

Rachel gives him a startled look before saying, “Sweeney Todd?”  
“No. The guy.” Jesse tries again.

“Sweenie Todd IS the guy.” Rachel tries again.

“The composer!” Jesse stresses.

“Oh! Sondheim!” She rolls her eyes at her husband and flips the phone down. The room is suddenly filled with the fast beeping of time running out, “Hurry Jess!” Rachel shrieks which does nothing to help Jesse think of a clue for “Singing in the Rain”.

He’s gotten as far as “Umbrella…” When they’re time runs out and Rachel groans.

“Really Jesse? That’s the best you have to offer?” She admonishes.

“It’s hard to think of the not obvious on the spot!” Jesse defends himself.

“All right Kurt and Blaine it’s your turn but this is really hard.” Rachel says passing Kurt her phone.

“Says the girl who came up with the game.” Kurt mumbles before putting the phone to his head to start the round.

“Shrek” is first.

“I’m an onion.” Blaine says calmly.

“Shrek.” Kurt says, flicking the phone down and up to reveal “Fiddler on the Roof”.

“Jewish.” Is all Blaine says.

“Fiddler on the Roof.” Kurt answers.

“Beat out Philippa Soo for the Tony two years ago.”

“Cynthia Erivo.”

“Pride Rock.”

“The Lion King.”

“We wanted to go to the opening of this but you had food poisoning.”

“Dear Evan Hansen.”

“Pop that gum one more time.” 

“Chicago.”

“You wanted me to try out for this but I said no.”

“Aladdin.”

“No the other one.”

“The Book of Mormon.”

“I’m limited.” Blaine says as the timer starts to tick down.

Kurt smirks, looks sidelong at Rachel and Jesse, the former is sitting with her arms crossed and a pout on her face and the latter is sitting with his mouth open in awe, “Wicked.” He says just before the buzzer goes.

Blaine sits back against the couch with a proud smile as Kurt pulls the phone from his forehead and just barely resists dropping the phone like a mic….okay he doesn’t resist the urge at all and just enjoys Rachel’s huff.


	13. Mist

“Where to next?” Blaine asks as he jogs after Lizzy and Matty. His kids are hyped up on sugar and adrenaline and haven’t stopped moving in hours.

“Raptor!” Matty shouts already looking at his map to plan their route.

“No let’s go on Millennium Force!” Lizzy argues trying to grab the map from her brother.

Blaine lets them argue for a minute or two, he’ll step in if it gets too serious, and thinks about how their yearly trip to Cedar Point amusement park has changed. They first started coming when Lizzy was eight and Matty was four. The majority of the first couple of trips had been filled with kiddy rides and ice cream. Now there is no less ice cream but at fourteen and ten, kiddy rides have been replaced by every single ride in the park. Multiple times.

“Okay we’ve decided on Millennium Force and then Raptor.” Lizzy declares. Blaine’s pretty sure she pulled age rank but he’s not planning on asking for the details. It’s better that way.

As they make their way towards the coaster, Matty ask, “Hey where’s Papa?”

Blaine laughs, “Did you just realize he’s missing? He left us an hour ago.”

Matty shrugs. He’s a ten year old at an amusement part, he can’t be held accountable for paying attention.

“He’s at the mist station. You know how your Papa melts in the heat.” Blaine explains with an affectionate roll of his eyes.

“Should we go get him?” Lizzy asks.

“If you’d like.” Blaine says. Of course he’d like Kurt with them but he knows that Kurt is happiest taking breaks to recharge and cool down.

They change their direction to head towards the mist station and find Kurt lounging ever elegantly on the rocks near the spray. He’s not under it, god forbid he ruin his hair, but he’s got his sunglass-clad face turned towards the spray. He looks beautiful in Blaine’s opinion, but then again, he always looks beautiful in Blaine’s opinion.

“Papa!” Matty yells running towards him.

Kurt smiles and turns towards them, “Hey guys. Having fun?”

“Yeah but we’d have more fun if you’d come join us.” Lizzy says sitting next to Kurt and leaning her head on his shoulder.

Kurt sighs, “But the mist.” He whines, making his kids laugh.

“Come on. Please?” Matty says sitting on Kurt’s other side.

Kurt heaves an over dramatic sigh, “Oh all right.” He says getting up, “Where to?”

“Millennium Force and then Raptor.” Blaine explains grabbing Kurt’s hand as the kids take off in front of them.

“Millennium Force…and then back to the mist station.” Kurt jokes.


	14. Nose

Blaine’s favourite time of year growing up had always been summer. Nothing beat the warm weather, the lack of school and the Neanderthals that went with school, and as he got older and started dating Kurt, nothing beat the thinning of layers in Kurt’s wardrobe during the summer.

Blaine’s an adult now and while he still enjoys summer for all the same relevant reasons (seriously, Kurt is a tank top just does something to him), his new favourite time of year is just as it starts to become cold in New York City.

The first day he has to bring his jacket out of the closet and get his gloves from the bin always gives him a little thrill. Even as Kurt grumbles about the cold (“Why did we choose New York, Blaine, when LA doesn’t have these frigid temperatures?”) he can’t help but smile as they get ready to leave in the morning.

If anyone were to ask Blaine why he so enjoyed this time of year, he would direct them to his and Kurt’s morning commute; he on his way to the gym before rehearsal and Kurt on his way to the office. The two take the same train, with Kurt getting off two stops after him. And it’s that 20 minute train ride that has completely changed Blaine’s opinion.

Kurt has always hated the cold, and it takes him forever to warm up once he’s cold. He’s shivering as they enter the subway (the 5 minute walk to the station was enough to chill him to the bone) and he’s trying to contain his teeth chattering as they magically find two spots to sit next to one another.

Blaine, ever the considerate husband, slings an arm around Kurt’s shoulder and rubs his hand vigorously up and down Kurt’s arm as Kurt hunches next to him. Kurt smiles at the gesture before leaning into Blaine and THIS is why Blaine loves this time of year.

Kurt unapologetically nuzzles his nose into Blaine’s neck and hums contentedly at the warmth he finds there. Blaine tries to keep the shit eating grin off his face. Blaine absolutely loves not only having Kurt this close, his chilly nose leaving dots of sensation on Blaine’s skin where it taps against him, but also that Kurt feels comfortable enough to do this.

He thinks about where they came from; where they were afraid to hold hands at the movies for fear of harassment. To now, where they can cuddle on the subway and no one even bats an eye. In fact, he’s pretty sure the smile on the face of the lady across the train is because of them.

“How are you always so warm?” Kurt asks, bringing Blaine out of his reverie.

Blaine shrugs, before twisting to kiss Kurt on the head, as the ride continues.

Yup. Definitely his favourite time of year.


	15. Orgy

Kurt’s just walking down the hallway, minding his own business, when he hears it, “Oh my god, Chelsea it was a total orgy.”

He literally almost falls over. He has to catch the door jam to keep himself up right as his eyes widen and he can’t breath. He’s not sure how he makes it the fifteen feet to his own bedroom but he does, closing the door and then leaning against it, staring off into the middle distant.

“Uh Kurt? Everything okay?” Blaine asks as he lays on the bed with a book open in his lap. Kurt just shakes his head, unable to blink his eyes closed. Blaine’s immediately tense and he gets out of bed like a shot, “Okay what happened? Is anyone hurt? Talk to me.”

Kurt just shakes his head again before taking a deep breath, “I was just…walking by Lizzy’s room when I heard her tell Chelsea…” He can’t say it. He can’t.

“What did she tell Chelsea?” Blaine asks, confused what their daughter could have possibly said to make Kurt react like this.

“She said ‘it was a total…orgy.’” He almost gags on the word but gets it out, glancing helplessly at Blaine. He’s expecting shock on Blaine’s face but instead it’s a look of rage he sees there.

“There will be death. Someone or perhaps many someone’s are dying.” He pulls Kurt away from the door and opens it, beginning to stalk towards their 16-year-old daughter’s bedroom.

“Blaine wait, maybe we should talk about how to handle this.” But Kurt’s words fall on deaf ears and Blaine is already opening Lizzy’s door without knocking. At Lizzy’s indignant, “Knock Dad!” Kurt sighs and makes his way across the hall.

He makes it in time to see Blaine has taken the phone from his daughter’s hands and is speaking into it, “She’ll have to call you back Chelsea.” He says before hanging up on Lizzy’s best friend. Lizzy looks shocked and mutinous as she sits on her bed.  
“What the hell, Dad?” She shrieks.

“Language.” Both men admonish and Lizzy scoffs.

“You’re really going to get on me for my language when you storm in here like I’ve killed someone when I have done nothing wrong?”

“At this point I almost wish you HAD killed someone.” Blaine snaps.

“Blaine…” Kurt warns, lying a hand on his husband’s shoulder.

“Can someone please explain to me what I’ve done?” Lizzy asks.

Kurt looks at Blaine, who seems to be at a loss for words and is just staring at his daughter with a look of shock, panic, and anger and sighs again, “Sweetie, I was just walking past your room a minute ago and I heard something that alarmed me.” He explains more calmly then he thought he would.

Lizzy pauses and he can see her mentally going through her conversation with Chelsea to figure out what he means, “What did I say?” She asks, stumped.

Kurt can’t believe he’s about to say this word for the second time in relation to his daughter and this time TO said daughter, “You told Chelsea ‘it was an…orgy.’” He can feel Blaine’s shoulder tense more where his hand is resting against it.

Lizzy stares open mouthed at both her fathers, “THAT’S what this is about?” She says, “Oh my god we were talking about the party on Friday…”

“I don’t want to know details!” Blaine shrieks.

“There was a lot of FOOD at the party,” Lizzy continues with a glare at her dad, “so we were talking about how it was a FOOD orgy.”

Blaine’s back expands with a deep breath and Kurt blinks, “You didn’t honestly think I’d had an…orgy.” Lizzy’s face screws up at the word. As if saying it in a context that wasn’t food was abhorrent.

“Honestly I didn’t know what to think. I panicked.” Kurt explains.

“The fact that you know what that is is bad enough.” Blaine says, calmer now but still slightly twitchy.

“I’m sixteen, Daddy. I know stuff. That doesn’t mean I’m DOING stuff. Especially…that.” Lizzy shrugs.

Kurt smiles at his daughter before pushing against Blaine’s shoulder and then moving to sit next to Lizzy. Blaine takes the hint and sits on her other side, “Sorry I…overreacted.” Blaine says.

Lizzy shrugs, “I get it, I guess. But seriously, I’m not doing anything.”

Kurt nods, “You know you can talk to us if you need to right? Or Aunt Rachel.”

Lizzy rolls her eyes but her smile is genuine, “You tell me that all the time and I believe you and I will, I promise.”

Kurt pulls Lizzy towards him in a hug and says over her head, “Thank you. But just so you know, I can’t promise Daddy won’t try to kill any boy who comes calling.”

Lizzy chuckles and leans in the other direction to hug Blaine, “Your bark is worse than your bite.” She says affectionately.

Blaine scoffs as he hugs her, “Yeah well, we’ll just see how true that is when it happens.” He winks as she pulls away.


	16. Perform

Blane has been performing 8 shows a week on and off (mostly on) for the last 8 years. Kurt hasn’t performed in almost as long. There was a brief community theatre stint after he graduated NYADA but he had discovered through his time at performing arts school that performing arts wasn’t where his passions lay anymore. He had found something much more exhilarating in the world of fashion.

That had been a tough conversation with his father (“Why am I paying for you to get a performing arts degree when you have no plans to perform?”) but in the end Kurt’s happiness came first and it wasn’t like everything he was doing at NYADA become obsolete. They had business courses and classes on costume design, things Kurt could apply to his desired profession.

Blaine has been begging him for years though to get back into performing (“You know that rush you get watching me on stage? I get the same thing watching YOU.”) but he’s always refused, until now. Just shy of his 30th birthday Kurt Hummel is about to make his debut as Peter Allan in the community theatre production of The Boy From Oz. He hasn’t sung Not The Boy Next Door since high school and he isn’t even sure how he got this part. He knows he’s out of practice.

The stage manager comes down the hall lined with dressing rooms to shout “Places!” at the cast along with “Have a great show!” and Kurt closes his eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath before pushing up from his chair and making his way to stage.

When he’s in his opening position behind the curtain, he has a sudden attack of ‘oh god I can’t do this’. What the hell is he doing here? He left performing behind a long time ago and he’s happy with that decision. He enjoys singing silly songs with Blaine and the odd karaoke night but performing for a paying audience? What the hell was he thinking?

It’s too late to back out though as he can see the lights dim around the edges of the curtain and the overture start. When the curtain opens on the dark stage as the overture finishes, he instinctively scours the crowd for his husband. He knows as soon as the lights hit the stage he’ll be blind to the audience (a fact he’s happy about so he can pretend they aren’t there) so this is his only chance to find Blaine.

It doesn’t take him long to find his husband, second row centre, and the smile of excitement on Blaine’s face is all it takes to settle Kurt. Blaine is beaming from the audience, almost sitting on the edge of his seat with excitement. Kurt knows Blaine has noticed him looking when he sees Blaine give a two thumbed thumbs up at his chest and smiles wider. You got this, it says.

And yeah, he thinks as the lights go up and Blaine vanishes behind them, he’s got this.


	17. Raw

The first December 31st after their wedding, Blaine drunkenly stands on their couch and declares, “This year I’m going to learn how to cook!”

Kurt giggles from where he sits on the floor (he can’t remember how he ended up on the floor), “Is that your res…res…that New Year’s thing I can’t seem to say right now?”

It’s Blaine’s turn to giggle as he nods, “You deserve a husband who can cook.”

“I will hold you to that.” Kurt says.

A week later and Blaine hates that Kurt is actually planning to hold him to his drunken resolution. He doesn’t like to cook. He finds it time consuming and frustrating. However, he does stand by his claim that Kurt deserves a husband who can cook. Which is why he has battled with the stove and oven five out of the last seven days.  
He’s won most of the battles (though three of the five days he had cheated and made pasta) but tonight, he’s decided to make chicken and he’s not sure why.

Maybe it’s because he’d called his mom early today (“Oh sweetie, I have a fool proof chicken dish that Kurt will love!”) but he’d felt brave. Braver than his skills evidently, if his stress headache is anything to go by.

By the time he and Kurt sit down for dinner he’s about ready to cry but it’s done.

“Blaine if this cooking thing is giving you so much stress, then stop. I won’t think any less of you.” Kurt says as he settles his napkin on his lap. 

Blaine sighs as he sits, “No I can do this.” He says with determination even as he rubs a hand over his aching head.

Kurt gives him a soft smile before looking down at his plate and picking up his knife and fork, “Well this smells delicious.” He says.

“Thanks.” Blaine says softly, pride swelling.

All week he has waited for Kurt to take the first bite. He’s held his breath and tried not to look like he’s waiting for a reaction. Tonight is no different as he watches Kurt cut into his chicken and get a piece on his fork.

The fork doesn’t ascend to his mouth though and Blaine’s brows furrow, “Something wrong?” He asks.

Kurt seems to grimace, like he doesn’t want to say what he’s about to say, “Ummmm sweetie it smells great but the chicken is a little…raw.” He grimaces on the last word as well.

Blaine can’t believe him. He cuts into his own piece of chicken and is devastated to find pink staring back at him. He puts his knife and fork down and proceeds to slump in his chair in despair.

“It’s fine, love. It’s your first time cooking chicken!” Kurt reassures and his support just makes Blaine more upset.

Kurt gets up from his chair and moves to kneel beside Blaine’s, “Hey.” He says softly, “I know you’re used to being perfect at everything you do.” Blaine huffs out of a small laugh at that, “But it’s okay that this isn’t one of those things. I appreciate you trying.”

Blaine nods and grabs Kurt’s hand, “You know what we should do?” Kurt asks, squeezing Blaine’s fingers.

“What?” Blaine asks.

“Take cooking classes together. Learn some things.” He smiles encouragingly and Blaine smiles back.

“That sounds awesome.” He says and Kurt leans up to give him a quick kiss.


	18. Stir

Blaine really wants to slam the door behind him but is prevented from doing so because Kurt is coming up behind him. That doesn’t stop him from slamming his gloves onto the table with more force than necessary.

“Is the silent treatment over now? Can we talk about this?” Kurt asks as he closes the door with a soft click and begins to take off his own outerwear.

Blaine scoffs, “I cannot BELIEVE your brother stirred the pot.” He explodes as he roughly undoes the buttons of his jacket.

Kurt nods, “Finn’s an idiot though. He can’t be held accountable for what comes out of his mouth.” He reasons.

“Are you seriously defending him right now?” Blaine says incredulously.

“Okay stop right there.” Kurt says holding a hand up in front of him, “First of all, I am not who you are angry at so be careful what you say.” He warns.

“Whatever.” Blaine mutters before stalking up the stairs.

“And second of all,” Kurt continues as he follows his husband, “I am not defending Finn. What he said was uncalled for and yes, he did stir the pot. All I’m trying to say though is that he didn’t do it maliciously. He’s an idiot.”

“Oh that makes me feel so much better. Now it doesn’t matter that I’m going to be getting it from not only my father but also my brother for months!” Blaine yells.

“I very much doubt that. You’re just upset right now.” Kurt says.

“Can you please stop trying to tell me that my anger isn’t justified? Also, you didn’t grow up in my family. When I say it’s going to be months? It’s going to be fucking months.”  
“All right Blaine I’m not sure what you want me to say.” Kurt says frustrated.

“I want you to go back an hour and stop your brother from being an asshat.” Blaine grumbles.

“Sure I’ll just get in my time machine.” Kurt sasses.

Blaine stands there glaring, “I’m going to bed. This is ridiculous. And I also have to get a good night’s sleep to brave the onslaught coming tomorrow.”

Blaine goes to walk by Kurt when Kurt lets out a huff and grabs his arm, “No. We aren’t doing this. We aren’t going to fight because of my stupid brother.” He says.

“I don’t WANT to fight.” Blaine says, “I’m just angry.”

“And you have every right to be. But not at me. And I have no right to be mad at you and yet I find my anger growing. Can we both just…be mad at Finn and call him in the morning to tell him as such?”

Blaine lets out of a breath with a sigh, “I really don’t want to fight.” He whispers, calmer than he’s been since they left Blaine’s parents.

“Then let’s not.” Kurt whispers back, “Let’s take a bath and then go to bed.”

Blaine seems to consider Kurt’s offer. He knows he’s going to have to deal with the fall out of tonight’s dinner in the morning but for now, he can have this night with Kurt, “Okay. But can I still be mad at Finn during the bath?”

Kurt smiles with a little laugh, “Of course you can, love.”


	19. Talk

One of the happiest days Kurt and Blaine have had as parents is when their children started to talk. Lizzy’s first word had been ‘dada’ and Kurt and Blaine had both cried and then spent that day getting her to repeat it for every person they knew. Matty’s first word had been ‘baba’…and Blaine and Kurt had cried while Lizzy spent the day getting him to repeat it as often as she could.

But while their first words had been magical, both Blaine and Kurt can agree that the day their children started to speak in fuller sentences was even more magical. That day when their world opened to the meaning of language in a wider way and they were beginning to become more understandable.

Lizzy’s first fuller sentence had been just before her second birthday. Blaine had been trying to get her to take a nap and she had stomped her foot and said ‘Dada no bed.’ Needless to say she hadn’t been forced to take a nap that day…until Kurt had gotten home and reasoned that despite the sentence, she needed to nap.

Matty’s first sentence came just after his second birthday. He had gotten a slide from his Uncle Finn and Kurt and Blaine had set it up in the backyard. Lizzy had been showing him different ways to go down the slide (because as a six-year-old Lizzy was the expert) while Kurt and Blaine watched from the deck. 

They watched as Lizzy slid down the much too small slide (for her) on her stomach before turning to her brother and declaring it was his turn. Matty valiantly, without fear (Matty never had fear), climbed the stairs and awkwardly attempted to position himself correctly.

Kurt had been filming on and off all afternoon and he just so happened to be filming when Matty slid on his belly down the slide (a squeaking sound erupting in the backyard as his skin slid along it). When he reached the bottom, it took him a second to get his footing. When he was finally on his feet he put his hands in the air, looked at Kurt and Blaine, did I triumphant yell before shouting, “I did it!”

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other in surprise. Matty had been slower than Lizzy to talk and they didn’t think his first full sentence would come so soon.

It was Lizzy that got over the shock first as she said, “Yeah Matty you did do it! Good job buddy!”


	20. Underline

“I can’t study anymore.” Blaine says, laying his head on the kitchen table with an over exaggerated groan.

“Textbooks are the devil’s plaything.” Kurt agrees next to him, running a soothing hand up and down Blaine’s back as he stares at his own mountain of work.

“Why did we even go to college?” Finn asks from across the table.

The three had gotten together at the loft to study for final exams, thinking they could support each other through the process. Kurt was struggling to push through his last year at NYADA while Blaine and Finn were trying to finish off third year. Burnout was so close they could all taste the char beginning to accumulate so they thought studying together would help mitigate that.

Apparently they had been wrong.

“All right.” Blaine straightens up and shakes himself, trying to reinvigorate himself, “I honestly cannot look at anything pertaining to music theory right now. Finn, what are you working on? I’ll help you for a while.” He says leaning over to Finn work.

“Just reading a chapter on children with special needs. underlining all the important parts.” He gestures with his pen and Blaine gets up to look over his shoulder.

“Ummm Finn?” Blaine asks, glancing up at Kurt with a barely contained smirk, “Is this entire page important information?” 

Finn looks confused as Kurt leans over the table to see, “Finn, you do realize the point of underlining the important parts is that you don’t underline the whole thing right? You only underline the IMPORTANT stuff.”

Finn’s quiet for a second before he groans and throws his pen on the table, “Now I’m going to need a new textbook!” He exclaims and Kurt and Blaine try really hard not to laugh…except they fail terribly.


	21. Variation

Kurt has always thought one of the most fascinating things about Blaine is how much he knows about music. When Blaine passionately plays an instrument (Kurt’s pretty sure he can play almost ALL the instruments) or starts to prattle on about something music related that Kurt usually only understands about a third of, Kurt is usually left feeling awed…and aroused.

Tonight Blaine is talking about a conversation he’d had at rehearsal today with the orchestra’s violinist. He and Kurt are making dinner, a dish they learned in cooking class, and Kurt isn’t used to fighting an erection while cooking.

It’s one of those conversations where Kurt understands most of the words Blaine is using in isolation but when strung together like Blaine is using them, he realizes he doesn’t understand as much as he thinks. Words like ‘variation’, ‘timber’, ‘Mozart’, and ‘melody’ are being used but about half way through Kurt sort of glazes over and just enjoys the passion in Blaine’s voice as he chops vegetables.

He checks back in more fully when he hears Blaine say, “I’m going to play them for you so you can hear what I’m talking about.” and he’s turning away to presumably go to the music room to get his violin but Kurt knows he won’t survive both the conversation AND the playing.

He quick steps to catch up to his husband and sidles up behind him, grabbing his hands and burying his face into the side of Blaine’s neck. Blaine makes a surprised questioning noise in the back of his throat and when Kurt looks up from his neck, Blaine’s eyebrows are raised.

“We’re going to need to get naked before you do that.” He says, raising his own eyebrow as if daring Blaine to argue.

“Okay.” Blaine whispers, walking forward and pulling Kurt with him. He’s smirking slightly and Kurt isn’t 100% sure Blaine didn’t start the conversation with this result in mind.


	22. Width

Kurt and Blaine are at Jesse and Rachel’s for game night…except game night has yet to start. In fact, the only thing Rachel or Jesse has said to the couple has been ‘Sit. We’ll play in a minute.”

‘A minute’ has now turned into an hour and Kurt and Blaine are sitting at Rachel and Jesse’s kitchen island, mirror images of each other with one arm on the counter and the other arm propped up holding their chin on their open palms, watching Jesse and Rachel argue over the IKEA book shelf they’re putting together. They are both bored and don’t even look away from Rachel and Jesse to have a conversation.

“Why haven’t we left yet?” Kurt asks.

Blaine shrugs, “Your guess is as good as mine.”

“No Jesse! Give me the allen key. I will do it.”

“It’s twisting a screw with a metal L. How am I doing that wrong?”

“Five bucks says Rachel is the first one to give the finger.” Kurt says.

“We have a shared bank account. We have the same money.” Blaine points out.

“It’s the spirit of the thing, Blaine.” Kurt argues, “But fine, pick of top or bottom the next time we have sex says Rachel is the first one to give the finger.”

Blaine considers the offer, “Deal.” He says after a moment.

“Oh my god Rachel you put this in backwards!”

“Put THIS in backwards.”

“I think I’ll pick top.” Kurt says as they watch Rachel lower her middle finger.

The pair sits in silence for a minute, watching the arguing couple, “Control of the remote says they lose a piece.” Blaine says.

“No deal. Of course they’re going to lose a piece. Everyone loses IKEA pieces. They’re like LEGO.” Kurt answers.

Blaine rolls his eyes but then perks up slightly, “All right, massage says the book shelf won’t fit where they want to put it.”

Kurt thinks longer about this one, the only noise in the room coming from Jesse and Rachel’s fight, “You’re on.” He says finally and the two sit in silence again as Jesse and Rachel finish up.

“All right well we’re never going to find that screw so we might as well just call it done.”

“You say that like it’s my fault.”

“Well Jesse you were the one that opened the box.”

“Can we just put this over there and get this over with?”

Kurt and Blaine watch as the couple struggle to lift the bookshelf and move it over towards the wall they want it on. Kurt notices seconds before it happens, and gets up from his chair, pulling Blaine with him.

“Let’s get out of here. I’ll give you a massage when we get home.”

“JESSE ST. JAMES I ASKED YOU THREE TIMES IF IT WOULD BE TOO WIDE AND YOU ASSURED ME IT WOULND’T BE!”


	23. Year

Kurt and Blaine have had a lot of different New Year’s Eve experiences over the years. Some of which they would like to forget like pretty much every one before they met in high school or the year Finn threw up all over their living room at 11:30 pm. While some they hold dear to their hearts like the first one after they moved into their first apartment on their own as a couple or the one they found out they were going to be fathers.

The couple have shared twenty New Year’s Eves together so far but as they sit curled on the couch on this New Year’s Eve they can’t help but both think this is one of the best. Lizzy and Matty have been tucked safely into their bed/crib for hours now and only silence is coming from the second floor. The only light in the house comes from candles Kurt had lit while Blaine had poured wine and arranged snacks and soft music is coming from the speakers on the walls.

Kurt is sitting against the arm of the couch with his legs stretched along it on either side of Blaine who is leaning against his chest. They aren’t saying much, murmuring softly from time to time as they pick at their snacks and sip their wine. Every once in a while, Kurt will lean down and press a kiss or two to Blaine’s neck or shoulder and Blaine will respond with a kiss to Kurt’s hand or arm.

They’d been invited to two different New Year’s Eve parties but both had agreed they’d rather spend this one alone. Besides, Matty was going through a phase where he wouldn’t sleep anywhere that wasn’t his own crib.

“I love you.” Kurt whispers just before midnight.

“Mmmmm you to.” Blaine says, so content he could just fall asleep, “Happy New Year. I think this will be our year.”

Kurt’s chest vibrates as he chuckles softly, “You say that every year.”

Blaine shrugs, puts his wine glass down, and snuggles deeper into Kurt’s chest, “Have I ever been wrong?”

Kurt runs a hand down Blaine’s arm to lace their fingers together, “Touché.”


	24. Zone

This yearly tradition began by accident. Lizzy had asked Kurt when she was eleven if she could have some friends sleepover on December 23rd (“It’s the day before Christmas Eve, Papa. Nothing ever happens on the day before Christmas Eve. I want to change that.”) and Kurt hadn’t seen an issue.

That same year, Blaine had had to reschedule a sleepover they’d planned for Matty earlier in the month. He’d had the same logic as Lizzy (must have been the DNA) and planned the sleepover for the 23rd.

With the busyness of the season, Kurt and Blaine had forgotten to mention to the other about their plans. Which is how they ended up with five eleven-year-olds and four seven-year-olds in their house on the same night; hopped up on sugar, Christmas excitement, and the general craziness that comes from putting that many same aged children together.

They’d somehow made it through the night, well enough to agree to a similar situation the next year when their kids suggested it (“It had been so much fun last year Daddy!”) and every year since.

This year it’s six fifteen-year-olds and six eleven-year-olds and Kurt and Blaine have called in reinforcements. Somehow their reinforcements have gone from Rachel and Jesse to Rachel, Jesse, Finn, Burt, Carole, Cooper and Marcus and Evelyn Anderson. 

The ten adults are currently in Blaine and Kurt’s dining room trying to devise a plan, “All right they are killing us out there guys.” Cooper declares unnecessarily.

“I think it’s because we’ve been trying to play a zone defence. I think we should switch to man-to-man.” Finn suggests.

“You do realize only about a third of this room has any idea what that means.” Blaine offers as nicely as he can, these people ARE helping him out after all.

“You also realize that they out number us.” Kurt explains.

“Math has never been Finn’s strong suit.” Carole says rubbing a hand comfortingly along Finn’s shoulders.

“Why don’t we separate the parties for a bit?” Burt suggests, “Kurt, Rachel, Jesse, Evelyn, and Carole can watch a movie with Lizzy’s party and the rest of us will take Matty’s party outside for snow football.”

“That’s not a bad idea. It’ll let the boys run off some of their energy so they stop bugging the girls.” Evelyn agreed.

“And it will let the girls discuss whatever it is high school girls discuss without the boys listening it.” Cooper added.

“All right, let’s do this. Break!” Finn shouts as the group disbands.

“Finn seriously, now is not the time for football references.” Rachel says as they leave.

Kurt goes to leave but Blaine grabs his hand and pulls him back into the empty room. Kurt raises a questioning eyebrow, “I just wanted to say I love you.”

Kurt smiles, “I love you too.” He leans forward and kisses Blaine softly.

As they pull away Blaine says, “Also, have you noticed this is the first time our families have gotten together and I haven’t freaked out?” 

Kurt laughs, “You’re growing as a human.”

Blaine laughs too, “Shut up. It’s progress.”

“Yes it is.” Kurt says seriously, “Now should we get back to our crazy lives and try to survive this night?”

“Gladly.” Blaine says.


End file.
